Jay-Jay Okocha signing for Bolton Wanderers is something that should never really have happened – but we’re extremely grateful that it did.
The club that famously produced Nat Lofthouse, the perfect embodiment of the powerhouse English centre-forward, based in a nondescript town in the rainy North West, shouldn’t have brought the best out of an outrageously talented Nigerian international.
Theoretically, neither should have a manager like Sam Allardyce.
Okocha and Allardyce were seen as virtual polar opposites in terms of their ideologies regarding football, but somehow they worked beautifully in tandem.
A sitcom-worthy odd couple riding glorious roughshod over traditional notions of how to compete in the Premier League, together the pair danced to their own magnificently incongruous tune, establishing Bolton in the top half and taking them into Europe.
Okocha breakthrough
Always unconventional, Okocha was on holiday when he got his first big break. Visiting a friend in Germany, he went along to one of his training sessions for Borussia Neunkirchen, asked to join in and duly earned a contract with the third division club.
Within 18 months he had progressed to the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he will forever be remembered for the spectacular goal he scored against Karlsruher SC. Rarely do a few months pass by without it popping up on a social feed somewhere.
And with good reason. Along with a couple of defenders, a young Oliver Kahn was beaten three times by Okocha’s trickery, as he dragged the ball this way and that, eventually deigning to put it in the back of the net. Just watch it.
Jay-Jay Okocha commentating on his wonder goal vs Oliver Kahn…pic.twitter.com/VbeTFD5o7E
— 90s Football (@90sfootball) May 4, 2022
After relegation with Frankfurt, Okocha had a prolific spell at Fenerbahce, which tempted Paris Saint-Germain to break the transfer record for an African footballer, paying £14million for his services.
Part of a talented but unbalanced team during four years in the French capital, where kindred spirits Ali Benarbia, Laurent Robert and Ronaldinho also pitched up as team-mates, Okocha was out of contract following the 2002 World Cup. As one of PSG’s highest earners, the club were keen for him to leave.
Move to Bolton
Of all the possible destinations, Bolton seemed incredibly unlikely. Still only 28, Okocha had offers from more high-profile clubs but was desperate to play in the Premier League. After lengthy…
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